"Integrate health, horticulture, agriculture, ecology, and energy. Redesign the whole food system and create shared value on all aspects." That true triple helix is what worldwide horticulture exporter Rob Baan firmly believes in. He is critical of the Dutch government as it doesn't deliver its part in the helix.
Rob Baan, the Steve Jobs of Dutch Horticulture
Rob Baan (Haarlem, 1956) is the owner of Koppert Cress, a producer of micro vegetables. He created the company in 2002. His cresses - sprout vegetables - are used globally by the world's leading chefs and restaurants. Koppert Cress has quite a reputation as an innovator in the Dutch greenhouse industry. He was a frontrunner in using LED light. His latest project is harvesting summer sunlight and store it as thermal energy 6.500 feet.
His unusual perspectives define his unique profile in the field of food and health in the Netherlands and far abroad. His personal mission: "Let's look at fresh food and health in a different way."
Koppert Cress
Koppert Cress is on a never-ending quest to find natural, innovative plants, herbs, fruits and weed that chefs can use to surprise their customers. They intensify taste, make both beautiful and tasty presentations and offer new experiences (such as a now famous herb that literally electrifies and waters your mouth, first used by Ferran Adriá's famous restaurant El Bulli in Roses at the Spanish Costa Brava.) An international network of biologists, plant experts and gastronomists support a steady flow of new products, that meet the ever higher culinary demands of restaurants around the world. The latest we tasted was a succulent seaweed tasting both oily and crispy and yet fully natural and cultivated to preserve nature form wild harvesters.
Rob Baan (Haarlem, 1956) is the owner of Koppert Cress, a producer of micro vegetables. He created the company in 2002. His cresses - sprout vegetables - are used globally by the world's leading chefs and restaurants. Koppert Cress has quite a reputation as an innovator in the Dutch greenhouse industry. He was a frontrunner in using LED light. His latest project is harvesting summer sunlight and store it as thermal energy 6.500 feet.
His unusual perspectives define his unique profile in the field of food and health in the Netherlands and far abroad. His personal mission: "Let's look at fresh food and health in a different way."
Koppert Cress
Koppert Cress is on a never-ending quest to find natural, innovative plants, herbs, fruits and weed that chefs can use to surprise their customers. They intensify taste, make both beautiful and tasty presentations and offer new experiences (such as a now famous herb that literally electrifies and waters your mouth, first used by Ferran Adriá's famous restaurant El Bulli in Roses at the Spanish Costa Brava.) An international network of biologists, plant experts and gastronomists support a steady flow of new products, that meet the ever higher culinary demands of restaurants around the world. The latest we tasted was a succulent seaweed tasting both oily and crispy and yet fully natural and cultivated to preserve nature form wild harvesters.
The Dutch need to get their act together before even thinking about exporting horticultural expertise. Government must give horticulture its truly important role in greening and feeding cities healthily, stresses Baan. And don't employ imported cheap migrant labor, he continues. Solely exporting expertise – as Adri Bom-Lemstra, president of Greenport West Holland, stated earlier – is not a good idea, he believes. First, it must be part of the bigger picture, as it isn’t only about mechanics and greenhouses. It’s an integral system, combining a largely pesticide free and water scarce way of producing health, a better ecology, and less energy.
Making a healthy generation, that is our license to produceLicence to produce
As a company you need to consider why you do what you do and how that benefits others. Baan is explicit on his license to produce. “My company exists, because we produce something that has health benefits to cities. Making a healthy generation, that is our license to produce.”
If and only if the system functions as a whole, a country has the moral licence to export it. “Now we know how it works. We can show you the impact of healthy food for cities, the ‘why’ for the other country. (See Simon Sinek’s Start with the Why.) We can show them how we can do it technically smart, intensive, and efficient. It is a system, you have to sell it as one. People will love it.”
What is your opinion on Rob Baan's definition of the Triple Helix as a foundation for the food system? Please share your views below.
The triple helix model of Innovation
This model refers to interactions between academia (universities), the industry, and governments. The synergy fosters economic and social development, as described in concepts such as the Knowledge Economy and Knowledge Society. Each sector is represented by a circle (helix), with overlapping interactions. The triple helix innovation framework has been widely adopted and - as applied by policy makers - has contributed to the transformation of each sector.
This model refers to interactions between academia (universities), the industry, and governments. The synergy fosters economic and social development, as described in concepts such as the Knowledge Economy and Knowledge Society. Each sector is represented by a circle (helix), with overlapping interactions. The triple helix innovation framework has been widely adopted and - as applied by policy makers - has contributed to the transformation of each sector.
Europe's Green Deal
At the end of the video Rob Baan and Dick Veerman briefly talk about the European Green Deal, the EU's roadmap to a sustainable economy. The European Committee's ambition is to make it happen by turning climate and environmental challenges into business opportunities across all policy areas and making the transition just and inclusive for all. Baan would like to engage in a discussion with the Green Deal's architect, his fellow countryman and EU commissioner Frans Timmermans, on integrating food production, nutrition (preventive health policy), ecology, and health.
Climate change and environmental degradation are an existential threat to Europe and the world. That is why Europe decided on a new growth strategy that will transform the Union into a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy in which:
there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 economic growth is decoupled from resource use no person and no place is left behind
Mixed Feelings
The Green Deal was presented in December 2019. The European States received the proposal with mixed feelings. The Dutch minister of Agriculture, Carola Schouten, believes the EU wants to interfere too much in policy implementation in national and local contexts. However, German chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron call for a rapid adoption of the European Green Deal.
A common concern is that the Green Deal is imprecise on how the roadmap should be implemented. Thus, the compliance criteria cannot be clear. That’s where Peter van Bodegom, environmental biologist, comes in. He states that these should be developed clearly and consistently. The Netherlands could play a leading role here, as the country has a real competency in the development of integral modelling.
At the end of the video Rob Baan and Dick Veerman briefly talk about the European Green Deal, the EU's roadmap to a sustainable economy. The European Committee's ambition is to make it happen by turning climate and environmental challenges into business opportunities across all policy areas and making the transition just and inclusive for all. Baan would like to engage in a discussion with the Green Deal's architect, his fellow countryman and EU commissioner Frans Timmermans, on integrating food production, nutrition (preventive health policy), ecology, and health.
Climate change and environmental degradation are an existential threat to Europe and the world. That is why Europe decided on a new growth strategy that will transform the Union into a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy in which:
Mixed Feelings
The Green Deal was presented in December 2019. The European States received the proposal with mixed feelings. The Dutch minister of Agriculture, Carola Schouten, believes the EU wants to interfere too much in policy implementation in national and local contexts. However, German chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron call for a rapid adoption of the European Green Deal.
A common concern is that the Green Deal is imprecise on how the roadmap should be implemented. Thus, the compliance criteria cannot be clear. That’s where Peter van Bodegom, environmental biologist, comes in. He states that these should be developed clearly and consistently. The Netherlands could play a leading role here, as the country has a real competency in the development of integral modelling.
Related
“ " That true triple helix is what worldwide horticulture exporter Rob Baan firmly believes in. He is critical of the Dutch government as it doesn't deliver its part in the helix.” Rob is stating that the helix is not functioning (and that is my opinion too), hence is is talking about a new model including a role for the government. At least that is what I substract from the YouTube. Hence, the current model does not work, and we should take a look to a now innovation collaboration model that delivers win-wins and thus creates true impact.
In addition to Dick's #3 ("Wouter, you sound a bit mysterious"), I would add that the mystery also exists in the combination of Wouter's #1 and #2. Wouter: if you say that the triple helix model is a fantasy without visible results, how can you also say that Baan (who is a firm believer in that model) is "100% right"? That is logically (and arithmetically) impossible. You should substract from those 100% your difference in opinion (with Baan) about the triple helix model.
“ Indeed, examples like that are difficult to single out and identify at a certain point in time. It might be a context.”
Wageningen context now:
1- WUR can do everything (but no results!) “rupsje nooit genoeg”.
2- Policy makers with the no clue about innovation policy or management.
3- Big multinationals are collapsing or at least not leading innovations anymore.
My suggestion to Dick Veerman :
Ask in private Alexander Lely, Annechien Ten Have, Jaap Korteweg, Frank Giezen, Mathijs Baan, Jos Hugense, Meini Prins, the top management of Unilever, KraftHeinz, and the board members of GMV (machine), and Marc Jansen about the ‘added value’ of the triple helix (that thus do not exist). I’m sure they provide same answers as Rob Baan.
“Een olifant en een muis lopen over een brug, zegt de muis tegen de olifant wat stampen we lekker samen”.
Silicon Valley and The Netherlands are no examples of the triple helix approach. Again the triple helix is a fantasy model from civil servants. Noting more, nothing less.
The Dutch Agrifood system is created due to:
- open boarders (we choose a more UK economy than German/French after First World War.
- the political decisions to create DLO a long time ago. Collective practical research payed by the government and the results ‘free acces’ for Dutch farmers and food-producers. **
- highly focused on technology development and business (lets call it startups).
- good infrastructure, multiple languages on school, etc.
- small country, thus a lot of original Dutch people migrated to middel east, Africa, USA, Australia, etc. Hence, warm relations with old-Dutch people.
** this system is completely destroyed in 2000 by Cees Veerman. The creation of WUR (a marketing construction, not a legal entity) has stopped most practical innovation and the collaboration between normal companies and DLO.
To be short: root cause of the succes is period 1945-2000.
After 2000 WUR became arrogant and non-innovative,
LNV started to float regarding long term strategy in period 2005 till now.
Aalt Dijkhuizen promoted between 2000 and 2020 the ‘simplistic’ less with more model.
And LTO as organisation is collapsed since 2005 (or 2008).
And Silicon Valley?
- strong government that was a innovative client: NASA en Army.
- Technology minded society.
- lots of high-tech entrepeneurs that invested in start-ups.
- ecosystem focus on ‘succes’ (yes also financially).
- large funds that still are not afraid to invest millions.
- great combination between ‘chips’, ‘machines’ and ‘digital’.
- no topsectoren beleid.
Wouter, would you consider Silicon Valley as a result of a triple helix approach or the agrifood complex in the Netherlands?
Indeed, examples like that are difficult to single out and identify at a certain point in time. It might be a context.